Cranberry Walnut Bread

 This simple no knead method yields the most tasty and crusty cranberry nut bread.

Ingredients:

3 cups + 2 Tablespoons bread flour or all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 Tablespoon honey

1 1/2 cups warm water

Method:

1. In a large bowl using a silicone spatula, stir 3 cups of flour, salt, yeast, walnuts, and cranberries together.

                                                             

2. Mix honey and water together, and pour on top of the flour mixture. Mix to combine. The dough will be very sticky; don't add more flour, you want a sticky dough. Gently shape into a ball.

                                    

 

                                                           

3. Cover tightly. Set on the counter and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and you may have air bubbles on the surface.

                                    

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball. 

                                                                

5. Transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper (large enough to fit inside your pot or Dutch oven that is safe for oven. Place the ball of dough with parchment paper inside a bowl so it does not spread out as it rests. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, gently score an X into the top. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

                                         

6. while the dough rests, preheat the oven to 475 degree F. Place the Dutch oven with the lid in the oven for 30 minutes so it is extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the Dutch oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and placing it all inside the pot. Cover with the lid.

7. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. Give the warm bread a light tap. If it sounds hollow, it's done.

8. Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 1 week.

                                                

Notes:

1. You can use either bread flour or all- purpose flour. I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can substitute up to 1 cup of the flour for whole wheat flour. Using all whole wheat flour, as the bread would taste dense and heavy.

2. If you don't have instant yeast, you can use active dry yeast.

3. Dried cranberries or raisins are best for this wed dough. 

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Thippili (Long pepper) Rasam

Thippili or long pepper has a lot of medicinal values. It improves digestion and appetite. It helps treat cold, cough, and sore throat. My mom always says food is medicine, in Tamil it is Unavae marundhu aagum

Ingredients:

small lemon size tamarind, soaked in 1/2 cup water

4 dried long pepper fruit (arisi thippili)

3 sticks dried long pepper root (kandan thippili)

3/4 teaspoon black peppercorn

1 teaspoon toor dal

1 teaspoon coriander seeds (dhania)

4 dried red chili

5-6 fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 pinch asafoetida

1 cup dal water 

                     

For tempering:

1 teaspoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water, and take extract, discarding tamarind.

2. Heat tamarind pulp with salt and turmeric in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the raw smell of tamarind leaves, 5-7 minutes.

                                                            

3. While tamarind pulp is cooking, make rasam powder.

4. Heat 1/2 teaspoon ghee in a pan on low medium heat. Roast peppercorn, coriander seeds, toor dal, long pepper, red chili, and curry leaves. Turn the stove off and add cumin seeds. Allow to cool and powder the ingredients. Keep aside.

                                     

5. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the the rasam powder to the saucepan with tamarind water. Bring it to a boil.

                                                               

6. Mix 2 tablespoons cooked toor dal with 1 cup water. Mash well and strain the water from dal. Pour this dal water to the rasam. Simmer until until the rasam froths. Turn the stove off. 

7. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida. Serve hot over rice, or drink as a soup.

Magic Spice Powder

 We use a lot of different spices in Indian cooking. Each region has its own special spices. We use different spices for different dishes. Sambar powder, rasam powder, kootu powder, garam masala etc.

This spice powder is so versatile, you can use it enhance the flavor of different dishes. Just dry roast the ingredients, cool, powder and save.

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut

1/2 cup coriander seeds

1 Tablespoon fennel seeds

2 Tablespoons cumin seeds

1/4 Cup dried red chili

2 Tablespoons dry coconut

handful curry leaves

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

                                                             

1 Tablespoon turmeric

2 Tablespoons amchur (dried mango powder)

1 Tablespoon garam masala

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

1/4 cup kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

2 Tablespoons salt

                                                         

Method:

1. Dry roast the first 8 ingredients separately on low flame. Allow to cool completely.

                                                          

2. Blend the roasted ingredients, except sesame seeds to a  coarse powder. Set aside in a large bowl. Allow to cool completely.

                                                           

3. Mix the remaining 6 ingredients and roasted sesame seeds with the powdered spices in an airtight container.

                                    

                                                                  

4. You can add the spice powder to your favorite vegetable dishes, like potato, okra, beans, karela etc. Since the spices are already roasted, you can add it towards the end of cooking.

                                                   

Rawa Idly

 Idly is one of my go to comfort food. Growing up in a Tamil household, we had idly for breakfast every day. There are so many different types of idly one can make. Rawa idly is an instant idly you can make anytime you run out of options. You don't have to ferment the batter. All you need is roasted cream of wheat (rawa), and sour yogurt. This recipe makes 20 idlies 

Ingredients:

2 cups (heaped) coarse Rawa, roasted

2 cups thick sour plain yogurt (curd), beaten

6-8 green chili, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro and curry leaves

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

For Seasoning:

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

1 teaspoon Bengal gram (channa dal)

10 curry leaves, chopped

1 1/2 Tablespoons broken cashews, roasted

                                                     

Method:

1. Mix beaten yogurt, roasted rawa, and salt in a large bowl, without any lumps. 

                                                                              

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a small pan for tempering. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, curry leaves and chopped green chili. When the mustard seeds pop, add asafetida, and pour the mixture to the batter. 

                                          

3. Add chopped cilantro and mix the batter. Leave covered for 15 minutes.

                                                                  

4. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda just before pouring the batter on the idly molds.

5. Pour 1/4 cup of batter to each idly mold. Steam cook for 10 minutes. 

                                                   

6. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

                                                        

Pesarettu (Mung Bean Crêpe)

Pesarettu (Mung bean crepe) is filled with proteins. It is a popular dish of Andhra, usually served with upma or onion stuffed in between.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole mung beans

1/8 cup raw rice

1 Tablespoon toor dal

4-5 green chili

1 inch ginger

Wash and soak all the ingredients for 6 hours.

                                                          

Drain water and grind the soaked ingredients to a smooth batter. Add salt and stir well. The batter will be light and airy.

                                                           

Prepare Pesarettu:

1. Heat skillet on medium heat. Spread 1/2 cup of the batter on the skillet. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil around the edge. Cover crepe and cook for 2 minutes on low medium heat.  The color will change.

                                    

2. Gently flip the Pesarettu and cook for 2 minutes.

                                                             

2. Remove from pan. Repeat process for the remaining batter.

                                                      

Variation 1

1. Dice 1 onion and 3-4 green chili.

2. Sauté onion and chili and keep aside.

3. Spoon onion on one side of cooked Pesarettu. Fold the other side on top and serve with onion chutney.

Variation 2

Place a Tablespoon rava (semolina) upma on one side of the cooked Pesarettu and fold other side on top and serve with coconut chutney.

Tender Jackfruit Curry.

Tender jackfruit (unripe jackfruit) is rich in antioxidants and a good source of fiber. It is a great vegan substitute for meat. It is known as Kathal in Hindi. It is a tedious work to cut and clean a fresh green jackfruit. we can find cut jackfruit in brine (Trader's Joe) or in freezer (Indian or Asian markets). You can make biriyani with Kathal, or curries (dry or with gravy).

Ingredients:

For Preparing Jackfruit:

250 grams tender jackfruit (frozen)

2 pinches turmeric

1/4 teaspoon salt

For Onion Paste:

1 large onion (3/4 cup), chopped

For Tomato Paste:

1 large tomato (3/4 cup), chopped

1 inch ginger, roughly diced

3-4 garlic pods, roughly diced

1 Tablespoon fresh mint 

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

For Jackfruit Curry:

2 Tablespoons Peanut oil or ghee

1/2 teaspoon Shahi jeera (caraway seeds)

1 inch cinnamon

4 green cardamoms

4 cloves

1 black cardamom

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon coriander powder

3 Tablespoons yogurt (full fat) , whisked

1 1/2 cups water, or as required

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

salt as required

1/2 cup black channa (garbanzo), soaked, cooked, and drained

Method:

1. Defrost jackfruit (Kathal) by submerging it in a bowl of ice cold water for 5 minutes. This method preserves the nutrients. Drain the water. Place it in a steam container. Sprinkle turmeric, and salt. Mix together. Steam in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles or in a steamer for 6 minutes. Remove from pan, cool and cut the Kathal to desired size. Keep aside.

                                                             

 While the jackfruit is cooking, prepare the onion and tomato paste, without water.

2. Blend chopped onion to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

                                      

3. Blend chopped tomatoes, ginger, garlic, mint, and cilantro to a smooth paste, without water. Keep aside.

                                                              

4. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add caraway seeds, and let them crackle. Add cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, black cardamom, and bay leaf.

                                                             

5. Lower the heat. Add onion paste. Cook till the raw smell leaves and onion paste turns golden, 5-6 minutes.

                                                              

6. Add tomato paste, and cook. Cook till oil separates, stirring often, 5-7 minutes.

                                                              

7. Add turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.

                                                              

8. Lower the heat and stir in the beaten yogurt to the masala. Cook on low medium heat until oil releases from the sides of the pan.

                                      

9. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Stir well. Add salt to taste. Bring the curry to simmer, adding more water if required. When you see oil shimmering on top, stir in cooked black channa. 

                                       

10. Add cooked jackfruit. Mix well. Cover the pan and simmer for 8-9 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Stir well. 

                                      

11. Remove from stove. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with roti or rice.